Step Up 3

Step Up 3 (2010)
Starring: Rick Malambri, Adam Sevani, and Sharni Vinson
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
SC=5 V=4 C=4
Grade: A

This Step Up is awesome, but it's my least favorite of the three. Here's why: The guy (in this case, Rick Malambri) is likable and very good looking, but not as likeable as Channing Tatum or even Robert Hoffman, who, sometimes in the movie, comes across a little too cocky. The girl (Sharni Vinson) isn't as likeable as Jenna Dewan or as awesome as Briana Evigan, who is my favorite girl in any of the movies. The only thing this movie has that the others don't is Moose as a main character. He was in Step Up 2, but he's actually a main character in this movie. This movie also has Camielle, played by Alyson Stoner, and she's just awesome. The dancing in this movie also easily outdoes the first one and probably beats the second one as well. Luke (Malambri) runs a "house" for abandoned dancers, giving them a place to live and practice. When he meets Moose (Sevani), who is in town for college, Moose starts spending more time with the dancers and less time on his schoolwork. Coming into the group at the same time is Natalie (Vinson), a mysterious dancer also in need of a home. The two newcomers are just in time for World Jam, which is basically a larger version of The Streets from Step Up 2. After several events that put not only the house but the dancers in jeapardy, Luke must put together his old crew and win World Jam in order to save the house and the dancer's futures.

Step Up

Step Up (2006)
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, and Mario
Directed by: Anne Fletcher
SC=4 V=6 C=5
Grade: A++

This is one of my all time favorite movies (it helps, of course, that this movie has great dancing and stars Channing Tatum...which would help any movie). Tyler Gage (Tatum) is a tough guy who has had a hard life. After vandalising a performing arts school, his punishment is to serve his community service at said school. There, he meets Nora (Dewan), a very driven ballet dancer who is working on her piece for the end of the year showcase. After her partner is hurt and unable to practice, Tyler witnesses her auditioning students for a person to practice with, none of them good enough. Nora, on a whim, lets Tyler audition and decides that he's the only one that can handle the lifts. Nora's classical style and Tyler's street style clash from the very beginning. But what no one sees coming is that they actually gel and work out a new piece for the showcase that is the perfect blend between both styles. But, when Nora's old partner comes back, will she stick with Tyler or choose the easy way out? Jenna Dewan is good and Channing Tatum is his usual hot self, just with more dancing this time. And, boy, is he a good dancer.

Movie Review: Save the Last Dance

Save the Last Dance (2001)
Starring: Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas
Characters: Sara and Derek
Directed by: Thomas Carter
Tagline: The only person you need to be is yourself
Grade: B+

I love dance movies. I love dancing, so obviously I would love movies in which the characters dance. This was a pretty good dance movie, not one of the best, but still pretty good. I might be biased because my favorite dance movie is Step Up and Step Up 2 The Streets, which are both amazing. But this one was still pretty awesome. The movie is about a ballerina (Sara) who has to move in with her father, who lives in a pretty rough neighborhood, after her mother dies. There, she meets Derek, who is a very smart guy that wants to be a doctor. Sara decides that she wants to learn how to dance in a club, instead of just ballet. As he teaches her to dance, they start liking each other, which starts a lot of talk. One of the things I didn't like so much about this movie was all of the racial stuff, which I thought took away from the main point of the movie. Another thing I didn't like so much was the lack of dancing. There are a couple scenes, which are very short, where Derek is teaching her how to dance and a couple of club scenes. Other than those and the very long scene at the end, when Sara auditions for Julliard, there's not a whole lot of dancing. So, overall, a pretty good movie...it's a movie that involves dancing, I just wouldn't exactly call it a "dance" movie.
-MOT